Expeditio representative, as member of NCSD (National Council for Sustainable Development), attended the 23rd session of this body, held on Januarz 27th. At this session, the Council has supported the current process of preparing and setting Montenegro for Third World Summit on Sustainable Development (Rio + 20) and discussed in detail the concept of green economy as one of the two key themes of the Summit. The Council has assessed that Montenegro has great potential for the application of the green economy, especially in the sectors of energy, tourism and agriculture, which in the context of preparations for the Rio +20 Summit should be seen as part of the coupling topics such as increasing employment, the preservation of natural capital, effective use of resources and the fight against climate changes.
In accordance with the newly adopted guidelines for future work, the Council has adopted the work plan for the 2012. In addition to the work on preparing the platform for Rio +20, the main topics the Council will deal with in this year, are the revision of the National Strategy of Sustainable Development as main document for the development of Montenegro, encouraging dialogue on key issues of sustainable development, supporting stronger application of standards of sustainable development at the local and the level of involvement in the assessment of overall capacity for sustainable development. The Council will have to determine, at the next session, the Award for Sustainable Development, which will be awarded to the most responsable for the promotion of sustainable development as well as indicate the negative examples in the application of this concept.
Members discussed the role and mandate of the Council for the next period and agreed that the Council should focus its work on the consideration of strategic issues and the development of guidelines for specific areas of sustainable development, but also to serve as a reference point for government departments and other stakeholders and members of society in solving the dilemma in choosing approaches and defining priority development policies and projects. Special attention is that in the future the Council strengthen its role in the public dialogue on sustainable development and, thus, contribute to a general-public consensus on this concept.